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Who do you think you are?

School branding can be tricky at the best of times, but when national and international politics gets in the way it becomes far more difficult. The latest CarringtonCrisp report, The Business of Branding, reveals the impact of the Trump election and Brexit referendum outcome on perceptions of the USA and UK as international study destinations for business education. Among international students 40% are less likely to study in the USA and 28% less likely to consider the UK for business school.

However, it's not all bad news. The USA is still the most popular study destination, chosen by 67% of respondents, with the UK in second place, selected by 44%. Canada and Australia are close behind on 39% and 38% respectively.

The study also examined perceptions of five specific countries - USA, UK, Germany, China and Australia - asking students to rate each country on a set of specific criteria. The popularity of the USA may be down to its perceived economic strength, while the UK was considered the easiest location to get a visa for study. China was perceived as the cheapest country of the five to study in and scored well on a sense of adventure, but Australia was top on offering a sense of adventure and was also number one on offering an attractive lifestyle.

Andrew Crisp, author of the report, commented, "It is tough for a business school to develop a differentiated, distinctive and compelling brand when it is seeking to engage audiences from 16-60 and from around the corner to around the world. In what has been an extraordinary year in international politics, the challenge has become even greater".

The report also found that money and careers have different impacts in decision making when consideirng the views of men and women. While 30% of women emphasise a strong employment/placement record as a key element of an ideal MBA, only 23% of men have the same view. Almost half (47%) of women agree they would choose a school simply because fees were lower than another school under consideration compared with 38% of men.

To purchase a copy of the full report or to take part in this annual study, please visit The Business of Branding project page.